Hos 4:6 | KingComments | STEP | The priests are mainly responsible for the lack of knowledge of the people. Precisely they have, together with the Levites, the task to teach the law to the people of God ( ; ; ). God’s judgment of the priests means that He will remove them from His presence. After all, the great privilege of priests is that they may be in the presence of God, isn’t it? But God can no longer tolerate them there. He still speaks of “My people” (cf. ), but it will not be long before He will have to call them “Lo-ammi”, ‘not My people’. The lack of knowledge is not because they have no light, but because they hate the light. They are not wandering astray because they do not know the way, but because they have no desire to go God’s way. They have become like the people of whom Job says: “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways’” ( ). The attitude and behavior of priests and people do not only affect them. If parents reject the knowledge of God, they cannot pass anything on to their children. The consequences of a Godless upbringing are easy to guess: even the children will not ask for God. If children in the families of God’s people do not learn to remember their Creator, they cannot expect their Creator to remember them. An example of priestly sons rejected by God can be seen in the sons of Eli. Eli did not teach his sons any knowledge of God. This is God’s reproach to him ( ). Eli’s attitude determines the behavior of his sons. And through their behavior, people in Israel start to despise the offering of the LORD ( ). The contempt Eli’s sons show for the offering is attributed to Eli. God has no choice but to deprive Eli and his house of the priesthood ( ). The knowledge of the Word of God is of utmost importance to every member of God’s people. Only by reading and studying the Bible is it possible to live to the glory of God. But also here the time spirit affects God’s people. There is hardly any demand for Bible study anymore. People are more looking for books that are easy to read and fit the feeling. That market is far from saturated. Of course there are also good, faith-building books, especially when it comes to books that are written from a pastoral concern with the flock. This is apparent from the number of references to the Bible. It is often the case that one abandons as soon as some effort is required. Sometimes even the accusation is made that you do not have to quote a Bible text for everything. It indeed is not always wise to quote texts haphazardly. What matters is the attitude we encounter in Christianity today. There is hardly any interest anymore in digging into the Word of God, while it is precisely through Bible study that God’s thoughts become more our own. This stratagem of satan is doing well. The call of Isaiah must be heard again: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” ( ). Back to the Scriptures! Those who think they can do it without will not see the light, but will continue to wander in the darkness and remain in it forever. Back to the Scriptures! Those who think they can do it without will not see the light, but will continue to wander in the darkness and abide in it forever. How we can study the Bible in a good and fruitful way and then also serve others with God’s Word, we see with Ezra. In his dealings with the Word of God we see three elements that are of decisive importance: “For Ezra had set his heart 1. to study the law of the LORD and 2. to practice [it], and 3. to teach [His] statutes and ordinances in Israel” ( ). Here it becomes clear that it is primarily about the knowledge of the heart (cf. ) and not about sheer head knowledge. If in the heart is the right mind, the desire is first “to study” or “to examine”, then to “practice” what has been learned from God’s Word, and finally to “teach” to God’s people what has been learned and put into practice.

‏ Hosea 4:6

No Knowledge

The priests are mainly responsible for the lack of knowledge of the people. Precisely they have, together with the Levites, the task to teach the law to the people of God (Deu 33:8 ; 10; Eze 44:23; Mal 2:7). God’s judgment of the priests means that He will remove them from His presence. After all, the great privilege of priests is that they may be in the presence of God, isn’t it? But God can no longer tolerate them there. He still speaks of “My people” (cf. Hos 4:12), but it will not be long before He will have to call them “Lo-ammi”, ‘not My people’.

The lack of knowledge is not because they have no light, but because they hate the light. They are not wandering astray because they do not know the way, but because they have no desire to go God’s way. They have become like the people of whom Job says: “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways’” (Job 21:14).

The attitude and behavior of priests and people do not only affect them. If parents reject the knowledge of God, they cannot pass anything on to their children. The consequences of a Godless upbringing are easy to guess: even the children will not ask for God. If children in the families of God’s people do not learn to remember their Creator, they cannot expect their Creator to remember them.

An example of priestly sons rejected by God can be seen in the sons of Eli. Eli did not teach his sons any knowledge of God. This is God’s reproach to him (1Sam 2:29). Eli’s attitude determines the behavior of his sons. And through their behavior, people in Israel start to despise the offering of the LORD (1Sam 2:17). The contempt Eli’s sons show for the offering is attributed to Eli. God has no choice but to deprive Eli and his house of the priesthood (1Sam 2:30-31 ; 1Sam 3:12-14).

The knowledge of the Word of God is of utmost importance to every member of God’s people. Only by reading and studying the Bible is it possible to live to the glory of God. But also here the time spirit affects God’s people. There is hardly any demand for Bible study anymore. People are more looking for books that are easy to read and fit the feeling. That market is far from saturated. Of course there are also good, faith-building books, especially when it comes to books that are written from a pastoral concern with the flock. This is apparent from the number of references to the Bible.

It is often the case that one abandons as soon as some effort is required. Sometimes even the accusation is made that you do not have to quote a Bible text for everything. It indeed is not always wise to quote texts haphazardly. What matters is the attitude we encounter in Christianity today. There is hardly any interest anymore in digging into the Word of God, while it is precisely through Bible study that God’s thoughts become more our own.

This stratagem of satan is doing well. The call of Isaiah must be heard again: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isa 8:20). Back to the Scriptures! Those who think they can do it without will not see the light, but will continue to wander in the darkness and remain in it forever. Back to the Scriptures! Those who think they can do it without will not see the light, but will continue to wander in the darkness and abide in it forever.

How we can study the Bible in a good and fruitful way and then also serve others with God’s Word, we see with Ezra. In his dealings with the Word of God we see three elements that are of decisive importance: “For Ezra had set his heart

1. to study the law of the LORD and

2. to practice [it], and

3. to teach [His] statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).

Here it becomes clear that it is primarily about the knowledge of the heart (cf. Eph 1:17-18) and not about sheer head knowledge. If in the heart is the right mind, the desire is first “to study” or “to examine”, then to “practice” what has been learned from God’s Word, and finally to “teach” to God’s people what has been learned and put into practice.